Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, and a significant portion of heart attacks occur without any prior symptoms. However, revolutionary technology is aiming to change this narrative by predicting heart attacks years before they happen. This technology, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is offered by a health technology company named Fountain Life.
The Power of AI in Predicting Heart Attacks
Fountain Life has developed an AI-powered coronary artery scan that can detect the risk of heart attacks three, five, or even ten years before symptoms begin. This outpatient procedure, which takes less than an hour, involves injecting a simple dye into the vein followed by a quick CAT scan of the heart. The results provide a complete picture of artery health, including the amount of plaque buildup.
The AI technology used in this process is capable of analyzing the results and identifying the amount and type of plaque present in the arteries. It can distinguish between calcified (stable) and uncalcified (high-risk) plaque, something that humans can’t see. Uncalcified plaque is a newer, softer kind that is more prone to rupture.
A Non-Invasive Alternative to Traditional Procedures
This AI coronary artery scan offers a non-invasive alternative to a standard “cath lab,” a more expensive procedure that involves inserting a catheter into the artery. The technology is currently available to self-insured employers, who then offer it to their employees, as well as high-end residential centers.
Fountain Life aims to partner with physicians to make this technology more widely available to patients.
The Role of AI in Proactive Prevention
Fountain Life, founded in 2021, aims to shift the healthcare paradigm from “episodic and reactive” to “proactive and continuous.” The company believes that most diseases don’t become symptomatic until they’re in the later stages.
To detect disease early and monitor progression or regression, Fountain Life is training AI on asymptomatic data.
A Life-Saving Breakthrough
The AI coronary artery scan has already proven to be a life-saving breakthrough. Raman Velu, a 62-year-old real estate investment consultant, discovered he had three potential blockages in his arteries after undergoing the scan.
Despite leading an active lifestyle and having no family history of heart disease, Velu was at risk of a heart attack. He had bypass surgery a few weeks after the scan and considers the experience a “huge blessing and an unbelievable breakthrough in the use of technology for prevention.”
Augmenting, Not Replacing, Doctors
Fountain Life’s AI technology is not intended to replace cardiologists but to serve as a tool to help them improve their craft. The technology is like a jumbo jet flying on autopilot, but it still needs a skilled person to monitor it.
Despite the slow adoption of AI in healthcare, Fountain Life believes that the technology exists to detect problems very early and start to reverse them at a very low cost.
FAQs
Q: What is the AI coronary artery scan?
A: The AI coronary artery scan is a procedure offered by Fountain Life that uses artificial intelligence to detect the risk of heart attacks years before symptoms begin. The procedure involves injecting a simple dye into the vein, followed by a quick CAT scan of the heart.
Q: How does the AI coronary artery scan work?
A: The AI technology used in the scan analyzes the results of the CAT scan and identifies the amount and type of plaque present in the arteries. It can distinguish between calcified (stable) and uncalcified (high-risk) plaque.
Q: Who can avail of the AI coronary artery scan?
A: Currently, the technology is available to self-insured employers, who then offer it to their employees, as well as high-end residential centers. Fountain Life aims to partner with physicians to make this technology more widely available to patients.
Q: Has the AI coronary artery scan proven to be effective?
A: Yes, the AI coronary artery scan has already proven to be a life-saving breakthrough. For instance, Raman Velu, a 62-year-old real estate investment consultant, discovered he had three potential blockages in his arteries after undergoing the scan. He had bypass surgery a few weeks after the scan and considers the experience a “huge blessing and an unbelievable breakthrough in the use of technology for prevention.”
Q: Does the AI coronary artery scan replace cardiologists?
A: No, Fountain Life’s AI technology is not intended to replace cardiologists but to serve as a tool to help them improve their craft. The technology is like a jumbo jet flying on autopilot, but it still needs a skilled person to monitor it.
